The Smithereens

with Special Guest Vocalist Marshall Crenshaw

Friday, March 6, 2020 at 8:00 PM at SOPAC

Founded in New Jersey in 1980, The Smithereens have been creating electrifying, original Rock ‘n Roll for almost 40 years. Jim Babjak (guitar,) Dennis Diken (drums,) and Mike Mesaros (bass) grew up together in Carteret and lead singer, the late Pat DiNizio, hailed from Scotch Plains. The band paid its dues in clubs all over the New York City tri-state area from Kenny’s Castaways in Greenwich Village to the Court Tavern and Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey. As The Smithereens’ fame escalated, they were in heavy rotation on MTV and appeared on The Tonight Show, Conan O’Brien and Saturday Night Live.

The Smithereens’ take no prisoners sound, reflecting their Garden State roots, has resonated with fans worldwide over the course of 17 albums and 2,500+ live shows. Their most recent release, COVERS, features 22 of the bands favorite songs first recorded by other artists. With the 2017 passing of Pat DiNizio, the surviving members have decided to persevere and carry on their shared musical legacy with guest vocalists. Marshall Crenshaw began his recording career with the now-legendary indie single “Something’s Gonna Happen.” His growing notoriety in his adopted hometown of New York City helped to win Crenshaw a deal with Warner Bros. Records, which released his self-titled 1982 debut album. That collection established Crenshaw as one of the era’s preeminent Rock n’ Rollers and that was confirmed by such subsequent albums as Field Day, Downtown, Mary Jean & 9 Others, Good Evening, Life’s Too Short, Miracle of Science, #447, What’s in the Bag? and Jaggedland. Along the way, Crenshaw’s compositions have been covered by a broad array of performers, including Bette Midler, Kelly Willis, Robert Gordon, Ronnie Spector, Marti Jones and the Gin Blossoms, with whom Crenshaw co-wrote the Top 10 single “Til I Hear It From You.”